Leopards’ Maddax Moore is a versatile performer on 32-4 baseball team
By Rick Thomas
TEXARKANA, Texas — Baseball has always been a key part of Liberty-Eylau’s Maddax Moore’s life — literally.
When he was just 3, he wasn’t old enough to play T-ball, which is for 4-6-year-olds.
“His birthday came late in October, but they let him play when he was only 3,” said Maddax’s mother, Amy Moore, a second-grade teacher at Liberty-Eylau. “Of course, his dad (the late Mickey Moore) was one of the coaches, so he was allowed to play with the older kids.”
And he’s been playing the game every year.
“Since I was a little kid, I just loved to be out there (playing baseball),” said Maddax, now a junior and three-year varsity starter. “It doesn’t matter where I am, I just love being able to be out there and make plays for my teammates.
“My goal is to play my part to the best of my ability, wherever the team needs me.”
Maddax has played just about every infield position this year, including pitcher, for the Leopards (32-4), Class 3A’s top-ranked Division 1 team in the state.
Liberty-Eylau, which won the Class 4A state baseball championship last year before moving down to Class 3A this season, is facing second-ranked Gunter (35-2) for the Region 2 title this weekend. In the best-of-three series at Nevada Community High School, game times are 6 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Saturday. If a Game 3 is necessary, it will be played after a short break following Game 2.
Maddax served as designated hitter as a freshman, and utility infielder as a sophomore and junior, developing his overall skills.
“Over my last three years on varsity, I have grown as a ball player,” Maddax said. “Instead of being a shy freshman who was uptight and not playing free, I’ve worked on getting better each day and having focus no matter what I’m doing, which has allowed me to become a better ball player and a better person in other areas of my life.”
Leopard head baseball coach Zach Fowler and his assistant Ricky Rushing have molded their team into more than a group of standout ball players — it’s a family.
“I definitely feel like it’s more than just a group of guys that play baseball together. It’s like a brotherhood,” added Maddax, who is one of the top students in his class with a 4.0 grade point average. “Everybody has everybody’s back, and everybody wants each other to succeed.
“When I’m in the dugout, I feel like I’m in a safe place ‘cause I know everybody in there has my back and they all are lifting me up. We have literally faced some of the most exciting times of our lives together, and personally, the hardest time in my life together — and there is not another group of coaches or teammates out there who are as tight-knit of a family as L-E baseball.”
The right-handed Maddax has developed into one of the aces on the Leopards’ pitching staff. He’s 9-0 with a 1.24 earned run average. He’s struck out 47 in 62 innings.
He’s also 5-for-5 in save opportunities.
Maddax only saw limited mound duty a year ago.
“Last season I tweaked my elbow in pre-district tournaments and Coach Fowler didn’t want to risk anything happening, so I didn’t pitch a lot,” Maddax said. “But since I’ve been healthy, it’s just focusing on consistency and working on my pitches.”
Maddax said he doesn’t have one pitch that he uses to get a crucial out.
“I feel like I am a smarter pitcher because I take in the situation and everything that’s going on to decide how I should throw the next pitch,” he said.
“Depending on the situation and the hitter, I have different go-to pitches, so there really isn’t just one pitch for me.”
The Leopards’ other key pitchers include Dylan Nabors (9-0, 1.32 ERA) and Triston Haugh (8-2, 1.12 ERA, team-high 47 strikeouts).
Maddax said one of his best performances this season was L-E’s 3-0 victory against Tatum in Game 2, which clinched the two-game sweep.
“During that game, I only had a limited pitch count and I went in there and threw a complete game shutout and also went 2-for-2 at the plate,” Maddax said. “I came in as relief the day before and threw 3.1 innings, using 35 of my 110 pitches. So, when I started Game 2 the next day, I had 75 to work with.
“At the end of the game, I still had 8 pitches left. So, that was definitely the most locked-in I’ve played this season.”
Last year, the Leopards were known as the “Cardiac Cats” because of several dramatic come-from-behind victories. This season, Liberty-Eylau is more business-like.
“This team has been consistent this year and they’ve played pretty much on an even keel,” Fowler said. “They don’t get rattled if they fall behind because they know the caliber of this team. They play with a lot of confidence.”
Maddax said he believes a lot of the Leopards’ success is because of their preparation.
“Being prepared for all the situations that you might face or all the tasks you may be asked to accomplish is a huge part of how teams win,” said Maddax, who is hitting .295 with 24 RBIs and 7 doubles.
“Another big thing is not to look in the past or to the future. We never let our emotions dictate the outcome of the game or let the moment get too big for us. Our team focuses on getting better each and every day, and then when you look up, you’re at the finish line.”
Maddax is coming off a very tough season. He lost his 53-year-old father to a stroke in January 2025. He died after spending 16 days in the hospital.
“Zach was at the hospital for every one of those 16 days,” said Amy Moore, who was married to Mickey for 26 years.
“Everybody from the players to members of the L-E community showed our family tremendous support, and that was a blessing to us.”
Mickey Moore, who had been involved with Texarkana baseball (especially Dixie Boys) all his life, had more than 500 mourners at his funeral, according to Amy Moore.
“My husband touched a lot of lives,” she said.
Maddax agrees.
“The Leopard community is a strong community,” Maddax said. “They come together and support you when you need them most and are there to celebrate the big moments, too, and that’s why it’s so great to be a Leopard.
“No matter how good or bad you tell us we are, we are still gonna go to work and get better every single day. Every day is a great day to be a Leopard.”
Maddax’s two older brothers, Bryan and Nate, also played baseball for Liberty-Eylau. His older sister, Savannah, was a Texas High cheerleader before the Moores transferred to Liberty-Eylau.
Nate is now playing college baseball for Henderson State, which advanced to the Central Region championship this year.
Maddax, who played on the Leopards’ state championship team a season ago, is hoping they can win back-to-back titles this year. He also has a special quest for his father.
“As a team, obviously our ultimate goal is to win a state championship, but my personal goal is to honor my dad in everything I do in life,” Maddax said.
“Whenever I’m on the field, I feel like I honor my dad by giving my all to the sport he loved to watch me play. He sacrificed so much for me to play the game I love, so all I have to do is keep playing it like that, and I’m sure he’ll be proud.
“He would definitely love another state championship, though.”
Local freelance writer Rick Thomas has worked for five major newspapers during his 40-plus-year career. Those papers include the Texarkana Gazette, Longview News-Journal, Shreveport Times, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, and Memphis Commercial Appeal.